Clothing & Accessories

Women's Gown (cheong sam) ca. 1930

Work, play, fashion, economic class, religious faith, even politics—all these aspects of American life and more are woven into clothing. The Museum cares for one of the nation's foremost collections of men's, women's, and children's garments and accessories—from wedding gowns and military uniforms to Halloween costumes and bathing suits.

The collections include work uniforms, academic gowns, clothing of presidents and first ladies, T-shirts bearing protest slogans, and a clean-room "bunny suit" from a manufacturer of computer microchips. Beyond garments, the collections encompass jewelry, handbags, hair dryers, dress forms, hatboxes, suitcases, salesmen's samples, and thousands of fashion prints, photographs, and original illustrations. The more than 30,000 artifacts here represent the changing appearance of Americans from the 1700s to the present day.

Resource Type: Main garments

Woman's Dress, Wedding, 1847

Annie (Anna) Reigart wore this dress on the occasion of her marriage to John Haldeman on March 23, 1847 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The wedding was held at the Lancaster Moravian Church.
Description
Annie (Anna) Reigart wore this dress on the occasion of her marriage to John Haldeman on March 23, 1847 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The wedding was held at the Lancaster Moravian Church. She was born on June 28, 1826, the daughter of Philip Wager Reigart and Elizabeth Jenkins Reigart. Annie’s father was a prominent businessman in Lancaster -- a wine merchant as well as a partner in his father’s law firm. He died in 1833 when Annie was only seven. Her mother did not remarry. Before her father’s death, a local artist, Jacob Eichholtz, painted the parents’ portraits. He also did a portrait, now privately owned, of Annie when she was about four. It depicts a young girl with dark hair and eyes.
Once married, the Haldemanns appear to have moved several times. Various records indicate that they lived in Virginia, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and, eventually, England. John Haldeman is buried in Surrey, England, and Annie may be buried there as well. Of their eleven children, two died in infancy. Their children also moved around, eventually living on three continents: the United States, England, and Australia.
The dress itself is a style that would have been suitable for evening wear, with its sheer, decorative fabric, short sleeves, and lower neckline. Since many weddings were held in the evening during this period, this dress was appropriate for a wedding. Additionally, the small sprigs embroidered in silver on the dress may be myrtle, which was one of the “wedding herbs,” an emblem of Venus and signifying love. The use of such elaborate fabrics in this dress indicates that the family was still well off financially in spite of the death of Annie’s father. The probate inventory conducted when her father died indicates that he left a sizeable estate. The museum also owns Annie’s wedding shoes, as well as the white silk vest worn by John Haldeman for the ceremony.
This two-piece wedding dress is constructed of white silk overlayed with silk chiffon embroidered with silver metallic thread. The bodice front is cut in four pieces, creating an elongated “V” at center front waist with a center front seam. The seams between the side front pieces act as bust darts. The waist of the bodice has self-piping and the wide neckline is edged with piping with lace trimming applied at the neck edge. An applied pleated band of embroidered chiffon extends from each shoulder seam over the bust to the center front seam. Short narrow sleeves overlaid with chiffon have sleeve openings edged with a narrow band of lace. The center back opening of the bodice is boned with worked eyelets on either side for a laced closure, and the bodice sides and front seams are boned as well. The bodice is lined with white cotton with bust pads sewn to the inside of the bodice fronts. The skirt is composed of free hanging taffeta and chiffon layers pleated as one at the waist and folded to the inside with no waistband. The hems of the skirt are folded over. The waist measures 22 inches.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1847-03-23
wearer
Haldeman, Annie Reigart
maker
unknown
ID Number
CS.249937.003
catalog number
249937.003
accession number
249937

dress, 1-piece

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1876 - 1878
ID Number
CS.320694.001
catalog number
320694.001
accession number
320694

Woman's Dress, 1860

This dress was worn by Emeline Butler Posey, who was born September 12, 1836, as a “second day” dress when she married Henry Dixon Posey in November 1860 in Henderson County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Harbison Butler, a prosperous farmer in the area.
Description
This dress was worn by Emeline Butler Posey, who was born September 12, 1836, as a “second day” dress when she married Henry Dixon Posey in November 1860 in Henderson County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Harbison Butler, a prosperous farmer in the area. In addition to Emeline, Harbison and Mary Butler had seven children. The last was born in 1854, and Mrs. Butler died before the 1860 Census. Henry’s parents were also farmers, and in addition to Henry Dixon, his parents had twelve children.
It does not appear that Emeline saved her wedding dress, but both the “second day” dress with headdress and Mr. Posey’s wedding vest were passed down through the family until they were donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1989. From what little we know about the “second day” tradition, we believe that this special dress was worn for wedding festivities the day after the wedding. Many women, especially in the South, had their photographs taken in their “second day”dress. The photograph pictured here shows Emeline Posey wearing this dress. We do not have the collar which would have been a separate piece.
The dress itself is very fashionable for the period. The skirt is very full and would have required a very large hoop, circular in form, to create the proper silhouette. Even then, it is evident from the dress that Mrs. Posey was a tall and very slender woman, and the skirt is much longer than usual.
This one-piece “second day” dress is constructed from deep green, black, and gold thread plaid silk with a woven pattern stripe. The fitted bodice has a center front opening with twelve pairs of brass hooks-and-eyes and eight deep green acorn-shaped buttons with silk thread covering and tassels for a closure. It has a round neckline and sloping shoulders with dropped, shaped long sleeves with capped over sleeves and diagonal cuffs at the wrist. One and one-eighth-inch wide trim consisting of vertical green moiré embroidered silk thread lozenges and one-eighth-inch wide black silk pleated with a picot-edge border is applied to the cuffs and the cap over sleeves. The waistline is straight with inserted piping, and the attached pleated skirt section is very full. The bodice is lined with glazed white cotton with green glazed cotton lining the sleeves. Four stays are inserted in the front bodice. The dress measures 55 1/4 inches at the center back.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1860
1860-11-08
used by
Posey, Emeline Butler
maker
unknown
ID Number
1989.0295.014
accession number
1989.0295
catalog number
1989.0295.014

dress, 2-piece

This dress was worn by Grace Greenwood Ziegler Fahnestock. In 1873, when she was 22, she married Louis Fahnestock of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania who was 24. He had been educated at the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and was an engineer.
Description
This dress was worn by Grace Greenwood Ziegler Fahnestock. In 1873, when she was 22, she married Louis Fahnestock of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania who was 24. He had been educated at the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and was an engineer. In 1870, he was one of the members of the engineering party sent West to build the North Pacific Railroad. Soon he was working for the railroad in St. Paul, Minnesota, and later he was associated with the German-American Bank there. After their marriage, they moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1889, they moved again, this time to Washington, D. C. where he was involved with the Richmond and Danville Railroad. Together they had five children including four sons and a daughter She died in 1915, but Mr. Fahnestock lived to be 100 years old, dying in Washington in 1949.
The family always believed that this dress was part of Grace's trousseau that she took with her to "the frontier." However, the style of the dress indicates that it was made in the 1880s when Grace and her husband were already living in Minnesota. The basque or bodice is very short which is a fashionable detail of the1880s rather than the 1870s. There is no evidence of the dress having been remade, except that one seam has been let out, presumably because she gained weight. It is a very plain example of a bustle dress with very little trimming. It would have been appropriate daytime attire for a middle-class woman living in a relatively small town.
This two-piece bustle style dress is constructed of pink silk taffeta. The bodice has a round neck edged with self-piping. The center front opening fastens with ten self-fabric buttons decorated with thread. The bodice has a waist seam with the sides and back longer in length than the center front and two boned darts on either side of the center front. The lower edge of the bodice center front is edged with wadded self-fabric, and the front bodice extends over the shoulders and into the sides. There are two pieces on either side of the bodice center back seam, and the pleated peplum at the back is trimmed at the center back waist with two self-covered buttons decorated with thread. The three-quarter length sleeves on the bodice are trimmed with self-ruffles ending in points that are edged with wadded piping. The bodice is lined with white cotton. The skirt is trained with an inverted pleat on either side of center front and gauging at the center back for fullness. There is an opening at the right side of the skirt for the pocket. The skirt is lined with glazed white cotton, and the lower edge is faced with a light pink glazed cotton. The waist measures 23 inches.
This dress was exhibited in the Hall of American Costume at the Smithsonian Institution from 1964 to1973.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1885-1888
ID Number
CS.225209.001
catalog number
225209.001
accession number
225209

Woman's Dress, 1789

The momentous occasion of George Washington’s inaugural ball in 1789 called for exceptional dresses made from the most sumptuous goods available. This silk gown is believed to have been worn by Mary Livingston Duane to the inaugural ball held in New York City.
Description
The momentous occasion of George Washington’s inaugural ball in 1789 called for exceptional dresses made from the most sumptuous goods available. This silk gown is believed to have been worn by Mary Livingston Duane to the inaugural ball held in New York City. Her husband, James Duane, was then mayor of New York.
This elegant two-piece dress is a lavender ground brocaded silk with small bunches of multi-colored flowers. The bodice of the overdress has an edge-to-edge closure with elbow length sleeves. The back of the bodice is cut and pleated to the body, which is referred to as the “robe a l’Anglaise” style. The trained skirt section is attached to the bodice from the side fronts across to the back, being pleated at the back. The front opening edges of the skirt section are trimmed with ruchings of self-fabric, lace, and artificial flowers in a sinuous pattern. There are slits in the side seams of the skirt section for pulling the fabric up and through to create an alternate style called “Polanoise”. The matching petticoat is pleated onto a narrow tape with side openings. The exposed lower front is trimmed with a band of scalloped pleating, lace, and artificial flower trim.
Although the current style of this dress dates from 1789, the fabric dates between 1765 and 1766. The neck handkerchief, bow, and cuffs depicted in the photographs are reproductions.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1789
wearer
Duane, Mary Livingston
maker
unknown
ID Number
CS.037201
catalog number
037201
accession number
114933

dress, 1-piece

This white cotton flag printed child’s dress was probably worn by a young boy during the years of the Civil War.
Description
This white cotton flag printed child’s dress was probably worn by a young boy during the years of the Civil War. Throughout the nineteenth century, infant boys wore dresses for several years and were then “breeched” with trousers to show a stage of growth and maturity in a young boy’s life.
This patriotic dress was donned by a Northern boy’s family as it displays the American flag along with cannons. Although parents did not distinguish between young girls and boys dresses during the Civil War, these parents proudly showcased the allegiances of their family.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1860-1865
ID Number
1990.0388.193
catalog number
1990.0388.193
accession number
1990.0388

Wedding Dress

White; made from parachute; fitted bodice with left side metal zipper; shirred at center front from waist to bust; shirred at side seams at bust; net yoke inset that also forms upper portion of sleeves; opening in yoke at center back, fastened with eight buttons and loops; wide r
Description

White; made from parachute; fitted bodice with left side metal zipper; shirred at center front from waist to bust; shirred at side seams at bust; net yoke inset that also forms upper portion of sleeves; opening in yoke at center back, fastened with eight buttons and loops; wide ruffle of lace and net sewn to bottom of yoke; two darts in back bodice; long sleeves; skirt portion of eight panels of parachute; parachute cord in casings placed vertically and drawn up to form poufs; cords pulled up to make skirt shorter in front and create train in back; skirt lightly gathered onto bodice; parachute cord casings, without cords, used as decorative band around bottom of skirt.

This wedding dress was made from a nylon parachute that saved the groom's life during World War II. Maj. Claude Hensinger, a B-29 pilot, and his crew, were returning from a bombing raid over Yowata, Japan, in August 1944 when their engine caught fire. The crew was forced to bail out. It was night and Major Hensinger landed on some rocks and suffered some minor injuries. During the night he used the parachute both as a pillow and a blanket. In the morning the crew was able to reassemble and were taken in by some friendly Chinese. He kept the parachute and used it as a way to propose to Ruth in 1947. He presented it to her and suggested she make a gown out of it for their wedding.

She wondered how she was going to make "this voluminuous item" into a dress. Seeing a dress in a store window that was based on one that appeared in the movie Gone with the Wind, she patterned her dress after that. She hired a local seamstress, Hilda Buck, to make the bodice and veil. She made the skirt herself; she pulled up the strings on the parachute so that the dress would be shorter in the front and have a train in the back. The couple were married in the Neffs Lutheran Church in Neffs, Pennslyvania, July 19, 1947. Their daughter and their son's bride also wore the dress for their weddings.

Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1947
used by
Hensinger, Ruth Louise
maker
Hensinger, Ruth Louise
ID Number
1992.0236.001
accession number
1992.0236

Guayabera

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2009
retailer
Olverita's
ID Number
2009.0173.001
accession number
2009.0173
catalog number
2009.0173.001

"Day of the Dead" skirt

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2009
retailer
Olverita's
ID Number
2009.0173.003
accession number
2009.0173
catalog number
2009.0173.003

Our Lady of Guadalupe t-shirt

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2001
c. 2001
ID Number
2009.0172.001
accession number
2009.0172
catalog number
2009.0172.001

Cocktail dress

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1990-1995
ca 1990-1995
ID Number
2009.0177.01
accession number
2009.0177
catalog number
2009.0177.01

bomba skirt

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2008
ID Number
2009.0176.003
accession number
2009.0176
catalog number
2009.0176.003

jacket

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2000
ID Number
2009.0176.001
accession number
2009.0176
catalog number
2009.0176.001

1915 - 1925 Chinese American Girl's Vest

One of the Lee daughters wore this casual Chinese-style outfit on special occasions, for none of the children wore Chinese dress for every day wear.
Description (Brief)
One of the Lee daughters wore this casual Chinese-style outfit on special occasions, for none of the children wore Chinese dress for every day wear. The trouser band or fu tau , translated as the “head of the trousers,” was folded over and secured with a belt or cord and covered by the vest.
Lee B. Lok, his wife Ng Shee, and their seven children lived above the Quong Yuen Shing & Co. store in New York City's Chinatown. Though the children wore Western clothes and participated in the local Scout troop and other clubs, their parents required them to attend Chinese school each day, from 4-7 PM.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.11
catalog number
1992.0620.11
accession number
1992.0620

1895 - 1905 Chinese American Woman's Skirt

Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr.
Description (Brief)
Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr. Lee in New York City in 1906.
The pleated skirt was often worn with a rectangular apron or wei chu’u over a pair of matching trousers.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.20
accession number
1992.0620
catalog number
1992.0620.20

1915 - 1925 Chinese American Girl's Trousers

One of the Lee daughters wore this casual Chinese-style outfit on special occasions, for none of the children wore Chinese dress for every day wear.
Description (Brief)
One of the Lee daughters wore this casual Chinese-style outfit on special occasions, for none of the children wore Chinese dress for every day wear. The trouser band or fu tau , translated as the “head of the trousers,” was folded over and secured with a belt or cord and covered by the vest.
Lee B. Lok, his wife Ng Shee, and their seven children lived above the Quong Yuen Shing & Co. store in New York City's Chinatown. Though the children wore Western clothes and participated in the local Scout troop and other clubs, their parents required them to attend Chinese school each day, from 4-7 PM.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.10
catalog number
1992.0620.10
accession number
1992.0620

1895 - 1905 Chinese American Woman's Trousers

Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr.
Description (Brief)
Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr. Lee in New York City in 1906.
The pair of matching trousers was often worn under the pleated skirt with a rectangular apron or wei chu’u.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.21
catalog number
1992.0620.21
accession number
1992.0620

Woman's Dress, 1945

Jeanne LaSalle wore this dress designed by Adrian when she married Robert L. Rigley in July 1945. She had purchased it at Marshall Field and Company in Chicago.
Description
Jeanne LaSalle wore this dress designed by Adrian when she married Robert L. Rigley in July 1945. She had purchased it at Marshall Field and Company in Chicago. The wedding and reception were held at The Drake, a fashionable hotel near Lake Michigan.
The donor called this "an afternoon" dress. It was typical of wartime wedding attire. Although wedding dresses had been declared exempt from government law L-85 (the purpose of which was to conserve materials used in the manufacturing of clothing), many women did not have the time to prepare for a formal wedding and thought it was frivolous to spend money on a wedding dress during the war. Instead, many purchased a "good" dress or suit that they could wear later for other events. In fact, many surviving wedding outfits from the war were made and designed by Adrian, the Hollywood designer who opened his own salon and ready-to-wear company in 1942. Adrian’s garments were more expensive than regular dresses and suits, but they carried a certain cache. The donor remembered paying $125 for this dress at the time, which was a significant investment.
This street-length, one-piece dress is constructed from a gray rayon fabric. The V-shape opening at the front neckline fastens at the center with a hook-and-eye. A curving band is set in at the waistline, with two pleats on either side of the center front radiating diagonally from the waistband into the bodice section. The long, tapering set-in sleeves have a zipper closure at the sleeve ends. Two strips of fabric are attached to the right shoulder and the right upper sleeve and drape loosely in front of the bodice, where they are sewn into the right front waistband. The skirt section is cut fairly straight. A right front skirt panel extends to left of the center front, with a section of the skirt pleated on a diagonal to the panel.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1945
used by
Rigley, Jeanne LaSalle
maker
Adrian
purchased at
Marshall Field and Company
designer
Adrian
ID Number
1977.1151.001
accession number
1977.1151
catalog number
1977.1151.001

1925 - 1930 Chinese American Woman's Skirt

Mrs. Lee ordered this skirt from China to wear on formal occasions, such as weddings. The waistband, of a different fabric, was covered by a blouse.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Mrs. Lee ordered this skirt from China to wear on formal occasions, such as weddings. The waistband, of a different fabric, was covered by a blouse.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1930
maker
unknown
ID Number
2000.0274.02
accession number
2000.0274
catalog number
2000.0274.02

Man's Shirt, 1945–55

During the twentieth century, California exported two big ideas that profoundly transformed American culture. One was a casual, outdoor life-style that Californians had evolved to suit their balmy climate.
Description
During the twentieth century, California exported two big ideas that profoundly transformed American culture. One was a casual, outdoor life-style that Californians had evolved to suit their balmy climate. The other was an image of Hollywood glamour: the seductive, elusive, but somehow obtainable “It,” or sex appeal, of the beautiful people who flickered across the silver screen. Catalina, a Los Angeles-based company that had made its debut in 1912 under the name Pacific Knitting Mills, used both images to sell this shirt, which was probably worn in either Ventura or Santa Barbara County, California. The shirt’s tag proclaims that it is by “a California Creator” and was “Styled for the Stars of Hollywood.”
Actors such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Montgomery Clift were known for wearing relaxed shirts in big graphic prints both on and off the screen, choosing either the modern abstracts of the "California casual" taste or more thematic "Hawaiian" Aloha shirt designs. However, Catalina's "Styled for the Stars of Hollywood" tag was a generic label that had been used since the mid-1930s. The company coined the slogan when they hired starlets to model their swimsuits, but retained it for their entire line of sportswear.
This short-sleeved shirt is made of navy blue rayon crepe with an abstract swirled light red and white fireworks print. It has a turnover collar with modified spread points. A button and loop under the collar allow the shirt to be worn open or closed at the neck. A full-length center front opening has five dark blue four-holed, narrow-rimmed plastic buttons on the right front edge and a plain front along the left buttonhole edge. One patch pocket with a button closure is placed on each chest front. One small pleat pointing outward is eased into the back shoulder yoke over each shoulder blade. A vent in the base of each side seam closes with a button sewn on the shirt back. The label states "Catalina / a California Creator" on the obverse and "Styled for the Stars of Hollywood / Los Angeles, Calif. / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. / MADE IN U.S.A." on the reverse. The center back body length is 28.5 in. (72.39 cm).
This Web entry was made possible in part by a generous grant from the National Association of Men’s Sportswear Buyers, in memory of Joseph S. Klein.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1945-1955
maker
Catalina
Catalina
ID Number
1998.0125.01

1900 - 1910 Chinese American Woman's Blouse

In America, Mrs. Lee wore this tunic-length satin blouse with side buttons made from 1890 Hong Kong coins. The generously cut blouse or sam, often reaching the calf, was worn over trousers.Mrs.
Description (Brief)
In America, Mrs. Lee wore this tunic-length satin blouse with side buttons made from 1890 Hong Kong coins. The generously cut blouse or sam, often reaching the calf, was worn over trousers.
Mrs. Lee wore traditional Chinese clothes when she occasionally accompanied her children to the local movie houses. According to her daughter Grace, since she did not understand English she made up her own storyline to accompany the films’ images.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1905
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.08
catalog number
1992.0620.08
accession number
1992.0620

Woman's Dress, Wedding, 1956

This dress, custom designed by the renowned French fashion designer Christian Dior, was worn by Rena Kipnis Sherman at her wedding to Henry Sherman in June 1956 in New York City.
Description
This dress, custom designed by the renowned French fashion designer Christian Dior, was worn by Rena Kipnis Sherman at her wedding to Henry Sherman in June 1956 in New York City. The bride’s father, Leon Kipnis, was an accountant whose firm represented Christian Dior in the United States. Dior gave this dress as a personal wedding gift to the family. Dior designed for many celebrity clients, including Olivia de Havilland, and he designed her wedding dress as well. It is believed by the donor, Joyce Rudick, that the fabric and style for this dress were chosen in Paris and made to measurements supplied to Dior in Paris. The dress was then altered after being sent to the United States. The dress echoes Dior’s earlier “New Look” style with the rounded shoulders, cinched waist, and long full skirt of luxurious fabrics. Dior liked the transparent look and feminine lightness of patterned lace, which is seen in this dress.
Christian Dior was born on January 21, 1905 to a wealthy family in Granville, Normandy, France. After studying political science, he served in the military for two years. He then began his fashion career by selling sketches of hats to Parisians in 1935. Before and after WWII, Dior worked for a number of design houses, but in 1946, he launched the House of Dior backed by the textile manufacturer Marcel Boussac. By 1958, he had salons in fifteen countries. Dior was particularly known for the “New Look,” which was his first collection in 1947. It featured narrow shoulders, a constricted waist, and a long, very full skirt. Dior felt that the postwar era was the time to bring femininity back to fashion, and the opulent clothing style he created helped to re-establish Paris as the center of the fashion world. The designs of Dior represented consistent elegance, and his name was synonymous with luxury and haute couture. During the 1950s, Dior continued as a trend setter and dictated style with the themed collections he created. After Dior’s sudden death in Italy on October 24, 1957, Yves St. Laurent, his assistant for four years, took over as head designer. Although Christian Dior only designed under his own name for a decade before his death, he was one the most important and influential designers of his era.
This white lace wedding dress consists of a fitted lace bodice and a tiered skirt section. The bodice is constructed of white silk lace over white tulle and taffeta, with a center front seam and bust and waist darts. The taffeta peplum extends under the skirt section to create a smooth line. The long sleeves with pointed turned-back cuffs are darted at the elbows and are set in at the front armholes but dolman style at the back with gussets. A center back opening has seven laced covered buttons with bound buttonholes. The front neckline is open partially at the center front seam and is trimmed with two layers of scalloped lace to create a jabot effect. A V-neckline is created at the front with four layers of scalloped lace extending into two layers of scalloped lace at the back neckline. A narrow bow trims the center front neckline. The skirt section consists of two gathered tiers that are constructed of three layers of tulle and one of net under each upper layer of lace. The upper tier extends longer at back and the lower tier forms a trained effect at hemline. The net layer of the lower tier is attached to an under skirt lining with a wide bias hem reinforced with horsehair for stiffness. The skirt section is attached to a contoured waistband that is three inches wide at front tapering to two inches at back with a hook-and-eye closure at the back. The waist measures 24 inches.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1956-06-00
used by
Sherman, Rena Kipnis
maker
Dior, Christian
wedding gift from
Dior, Christian
maker
Christian Dior, Inc.
ID Number
1992.0205.001

Circa 1930 Women's Gown (cheong sam)

The donor, Virginia Lee, posed in a similar cheong sam for a US World War II poster and for the "Miss China" contest in New York.
Description
The donor, Virginia Lee, posed in a similar cheong sam for a US World War II poster and for the "Miss China" contest in New York. Also known as a qu pao, the Chinese traditional loose dress shape was modified by Western designers in the 1920's to be more close-fitting to accentuate a woman's figure. The altered dress form became broadly popular in the United States as evening wear in the late 1950's and 1960's.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1930
user
Mead, Virginia Lee
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.16
catalog number
1992.0620.16
accession number
1992.0620

1895 - 1896 Chinese American Man's Gown

Lee B. Lok (1869-1942) immigrated to San Francisco from Guangdong Province, China in 1881 and soon after moved to New York City's Chinatown where he worked in the Quong Yuen Shing & Co. store.Lee B.
Description (Brief)
Lee B. Lok (1869-1942) immigrated to San Francisco from Guangdong Province, China in 1881 and soon after moved to New York City's Chinatown where he worked in the Quong Yuen Shing & Co. store.
Lee B. Lok ordered this gown from China to wear at the 1896 arrival ceremony in New York of Li Hongzhang, emissary of the Empress Dowager of China. Soon after Lee came to America he abandoned Chinese clothes for daily use and cut his queue. However on special occasions Lee wore clothing that identified him as Chinese. This Manchu style gown splits at the back, front, and both sides to allow for easy movement on horseback – a reflection of the Manchu people’s equestrian background.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1896
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.24
catalog number
1992.0620.24
accession number
1992.0620

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